Clinical England close in on series victory

By Ed Osmond

CHESTER-LE-STREET, England (Reuters) - England closed in on a series victory over West Indies after taking complete control on the third day of the second test on Saturday.

The hosts declared their first innings on 569 for six before paceman James Anderson dismissed Devon Smith, Chris Gayle and Lendl Simmons as West Indies limped to 94 for three in reply.

Ramnaresh Sarwan (41) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (three) were the not out batsmen at the close of play.

England resumed on 302 for two following the second day washout and Alastair Cook took his score to 160, his highest in tests, before he fell just before lunch, caught by Gayle at short extra cover off left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn.

Kevin Pietersen looked in prime form with a flurry of early boundaries and the home team reached the interval on 411 for four.

BRIGHT STAND

Pietersen (49) skied a catch off Benn to Simmons at backward point but Matt Prior and Paul Collingwood shared a bright sixth-wicket partnership of 94 to maintain the momentum.

Prior punched eight crisp fours in his eighth test half-century before falling for 63 but Collingwood, who finished on 60 not out, and Stuart Broad (28 not out) continued to flay the tiring West Indies bowlers.